Tongs



Nov. as, 192% 1,516fi3fi 4 w. M. VENABLE TONGS Filed March 21, 1922 I 4 Sheets-Sheet-l WITNESS 1,536,031 w M. VE-NABLE v Nov. 1

TONGS Filed Marph '21 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESS NW; 118, E924. 1,516,031

. w. M. VENABLE TQNGS iled March 21 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet, 5

WI TNE SS I WNVENTOR BY W h A TTORN E YS Nov. 18, 1924- f 1 mm w. MVVEN'ABLE TONGS Filed March 21, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet} WITNESS Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

NITE STATES} WILLIAM H. VENAZBIiE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BLAW-KNOX COMRANY. A CORPOBATION OF NEW J ML" TONGS.

Application filed March 21, 1822, Serial No. 545,423..

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. VENABLE, a citizen of the United'States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain I new and useful Improvements in Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tongs and the'like,

and is applicable with special advantage to lifting tongs employed for handling large, heavy objects or loads while hot,--such as steel ingots, blooms, or billets,- etc. I aim to make .the tongs effective, reliable, and quick incident to the use of tongs equippe with hand-operated devices for opening them. to

release an ingot, or for keeping them open while being lowered about an ingot to grapple it. Not only does my invention make it possible to save expense from delays in handling hot metal and from the consequent loss of heat,and sometimes the services of extra men required to attend to the tongs,but it also obviates severe discomfort and risk;

of injury often incurred in operation of the tori gs.

ow! these and other advantages can be realized through my invention will appear i frommy description hereinafter of-the best embodiment of the invention known to me. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of lifting tongs conveniently embodying my invention, open and ready to be lowered about an ingot;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tongs lowered and resting upon an ingot, ready to close and grapple it;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the tongs grasping and lifting or supporting an ingot;

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary view showing the tongs lowered upon an ingot so as to release it;

Fig. 5 shows a vertical section through the tongs at right angles to Figs. 1-4. taken as indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are rear side and edge-views, respectively, of one of the parts shown in Figs. 1-5;

Fig. 8 is a. fragmentary side view of the actuating mechanism, illustrating the operation of the tongs.

Referring to Figs. 1=5, it will be seen that the device illustrated comprises a couple of grappling members 10 and 11 interconnected or hinged together by a pivot pinor bolt 12 to form tongs, and provided with points 13, 13 for taking hold on a load,-here represented as an ingot X of suitable dimensions for the tongs shown to handle. These points 13, 13 are preferably made of an alloy steel that will-retain its hardness at red heat or upward, in order that they may. 'be fully efl'ective in handling hot steel. Link bars 15 and 16 hinged or pivoted to the upper. ends of the members 10 and 11 by pins or bolts 17 connect said arms "to a lifting member or device 20, here shown as comprising a pivot pin or bolt 21 with a bail 22 for suspendingthe tongs from the hook of a crane (not shown), or other lifting means.

As shown, the pivot 21 extends through the ends of the bail 20, which straddles the overlapping upper ends of the links 15, 16. By

virtue of their pivot connections the con-' necting links 15, 16 and'the upper arms of the grappling members 10 and 11 form atoggle mechanism for o ening and closing the tongs. A pull or li t on the upper toggle half 15, 16 through the lifting member 20 will firstclose the tongs, if open, and then lift the whole device bodily. When the tongs are lowered upon some object, on the other hand, the weight of the toggle'mechanism as a whole'tends to open the tongs. In

the present instance, the links 15,16 operate above the horizontal line of the pivots 17, 17 and act to pull the grappling members 10 and 11 shut and to push them open. This arrangement makes practically feasible a much greater range of, opening and closing movement for the tongs than if the links 15, 16 operated below the line of the pivots 1:7,- 17, and thus gives the tongs a much wider range of usefulness. It also facilitates the employment of relatively simple mechanism forgiving thetongs the desired automatic action. I

In the device here illustrated, means are provided for keeping the tongs open while empty, as shown in Fig. 1, ready to be 10W? 'ered about a load X, and for automatically allowing them to close and grasp such load.

For this purpose, there is provided a hanger 25 for connecting the tongs 10, 11 to the upper toggle half. This'hanger member 25 is suspended from thelifting member-20,.

being pivoted about a spacer or spreaderfi bushing 26 on the pivot pin 21, so that it may swing freely relative to the other parts.

. stance, a block 30 projecting laterally from a plate 31 itself bolted or riveted fast toone side of the togglearm of the grappling member 10, and shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 as provided with lateral stiffening flanges on its rear face and an inclined strengthening and guide flangeat its upper edge. In its lower surface or edge, the block 30 has a recess .or concavity 32 for stable engagement of the pin 27 to support the member 10 and hold the tongs open (Fig. 1). The upper'surfaces oredges 33, 34 of the block 30 are appropriately shaped to guide and direct the movements of the pin 27 and of the hanger 25, and converge upward to a crest or apex at 35. ment means 30, the arm 10 is provided with guide means formed, as shown, by saw-toothlike recesses or concavities 36 and 37 in its uppenedge, separated by a crest or apex 38. The guide 36 helps to direct the pin 27 to the recess 32 from the left (see Figs. 3 and 4) as the pin passes beyond the guide 33 in its downward movement when the tongs are lowered upon their load to open and release it, and also serves as a stop to limit such downward movement of the pin and the opening of the tongs; while the guide 37 helps to direct the pin out of the recess 32 to the right as the pin moves downward when the open tongs are lowered ,upon a load, and also serves as astop to limit such downward movement of the pin and the opening of the tongs under these conditions. Together, it will be seen, the block 30 and the guide means 36, 37 afi'ord a tortuous guide and engagement channel 39 for the pin 27, and are automatically eli'ective (as will now be more fully explained)'to pass the pin through the channel to hold the tongs open while empty each time the tongs go through their regular cycle of operation.

As thus far described, the device operates as follows Y In the condition shown in Fig. 1,-witl the tongs held open by el'igagement of the hanger 25 with the member 10 by means of the pin 27 and the block 30,the tongs are lowered about and upon the load X, and allowed to settle down freely and rest upon it as shown in Fig. 2. As a result, the pin 27 drops out of the recess 32 (under the weight of the bars 15, 16 on the hanger 25 Besides the guide and engage closing of the-tongs, the pin 27 rides upwardalong the guide 34 till it reaches the apex 35, and then swings freely to the left son'iewhat past the latter,somewhere near to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The device being nowlowered till the load X rests on the ground and the tongs settle.

down freely and rest upon it, as shown in Fig. 4, the tongs open and release the load. At the same time, the pin 27 rides downward along the guide 33 till it strikes the guide 36, which deflects and directs it to the right to thebottom of the guide recess, be

neath one side of the block recess 32. When,

now. the device is again lifted by a pull on the lifting device 20, the pin 27 is deflected and directed to the right to the bottom of the recess 32, so'that the hanger 25 becomes effectively engaged with thearm 10 to hold the tongs open and allow them to be lifted clear of the load.

'This brings the parts again to the relative positions shown in Fig. 1-, and completes the cycle of operations.

It will be seen, therefore, that by the more motion of the member 25 underthe' influence of gravity and the passive cooperation of the various guide anddirecting].

means at 30, 36, and 37, (which remain motionless on the toggle member 10) the pin 27 is automatically guided and directed over a. closed cycle of movement each time the tongs are lowered upon and raisedfrom loads to release and leave them and to grapple and pick them up,' this cycle including aposit-ion of effective engagement of the hanger 25 with the tong .member 10 by means of the pin 27 and the block 30. The operation of the tongs is entirely automatic throughout, andas ,ra-pid as they can be raised and lowered and moved from place to place. The hanger 25 is alternately brought into engage-n'ient and. connected with the tongs on the one hand, and disengaged and disconnected therefrom" on the'other hand,- each time the tongs are lowered upon a load and raised therefrom,either to release and leave the load, or to grapple and pick it u 1.

As shown, the hanger 25 has stops 40 and 41 projecting from its opposite sides, for engaging the inner edges of the parts 15 and 16. The stop 40 limits the swing of the hanger arm 25, to the left after it passes beyond the block apex 35, and the stops 40 and 41 together limit the closing of the ton s, b concurrently engagin the two mefi iber's 15, 16 as shown in Fig. 8.- As shown, provision is made for positively throwing thehanger 25 to the left past the block apex 35, by means of a weighted deflector 42 pivoted to the bar 16 at 43,and provided with av guide lug 44 for engaging the hanger edgewise at the right. The movement of the deflector 42 to the left'is limited-by a stop lug 45 projecting laterally from the bar 16. When thetongs are well open, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the guide 44 does not reach the hanger 25, and hence does not interfere with its movement to the right to disengage the pin 27 from the channel 39. As the tongs close, however, the guide 44 strikes thehanger 25 and presses and deflects it back to the left as faras the engagement of the pin 27 with the block guide 34 will permit yielding and shifting, however, so that the pin 27 may return along the guide 34.to the other side of the block 30. Indeed, when the pin rides past the block apex 35, the deflector'42 here shown automatically directs and swings the hanger 25 on over to the left (faster than it would otherwise go) to a position such as shown in Fig. 3, where the pin 27 is well to the left of the apex 35, ready to descend along past the block guide 33 into the guide recess 36.

\Vhile, therefore, the-addition of the parts 40, 41, 42, 43' to the rest of the mechanism is not necessary, it will be seen that they tend to improve and quicken the'action in various ways.

' comprising interconnected grappling mem-.

The practical .and absolutely automatic capacity of the tongs ranges, it will be seen, from the distance between the grapple points 13 when the tongs are held open by thehanger 25, as shown in Fig. 1, to the limit of closing determined by the location of the stops 40, 41, as indicated in Fig. 8. This-latter limit is determined solely by the consideration that the mechanism may foul itself or become deranged if the tongs close too far. By asuitable design and proportioning of the parts, such as shown,. the minimum capacity can in practice easily be .made half the maximum. I claim:

,1. A device of the character described bers; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for pulling them shut when lifted; and means for automatically keeping them open while empty and automatically allowing them to close and grasp a load.

2. A device of the character described comprising interconnected grappling mem bers; valifting member with connections to said grappling members for pulling them shut when lifted; and means for keeping them open when empty and allowing'them to closeandgrasp a load automatically acmember, and passive means, fixed motionless" on a member of the toggle,'cooperating as aforesaid under the mere influence of gravity on said member itself when the tongs are lowered upon a load or raised therefrom.

4. A. device of. the character described comprising interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members form-ing'with them a toggle mechanism for closing the tongs when'lifted; a member for holding the tongs open when empty pivoted to one of the halves of the toggle; and passive means, mo

tionless on the other half of the toggle, for

automatically connecting said member therewith and disconnecting it therefrom by virtue of the mere movement of said member under the influence of gravity.

5. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnectedgrappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for closing them when lifted; a hanger suspended from said lifting member for holding the tongs open when empty; and means for automatically connecting said hanger with and disconnecting it from the tongs actuated by lowering them upon a load and by raising them.

6. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for closingthem when lifted; a hanger suspendcd from said lifting member for holding the tongs open when empty; and means for al.- ternately engaging said hanger with one of the grappling members and disengaging the same therefrom actuated by lowering the tongs upon a load and by raising them,

7. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for closing them when lifted; a swinging hanger suspended from said lifting member; and

engagement means on one of the grappling members for cooperating with said hanger to hold the tongs open when empty, with means for automatically bringing said hanger into and out of engagement with said means, alternately, actuated by lowering he tongs upon a load and raising them.

8. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grapphng members; a lifting member with connectionsto said grappling members for closing them when lift-ed; aswinging hanger suspended from said lifting member; and

into and outof engagement with said means,

alternately, 'as the tongs are lowered upon and raisedi from loads to release and leave them and to grapple and pick them up, respectively.

9. A device of' the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; alifting member with connections to said grappling members for closing them when lifted; a swinging hanger suspended from said lifting member, and provided with an engagement member; and means for automatically guiding and directing said engagement member over a closed cycle of movement, including a position or engagement with one of said grappling members to holdthe tongs open while empty, each time the tongs are lowered upon and raised from loads to release and leave' them and to grapple and pick them up.

10. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for closing them when lifted; a swinging hanger suspended from said lifting member, and provided with an engagement member; and means on one of the grappling members affording a guide and engagement channel for said hanger engagement member, and automatically effective to pass said member through said channel, to hold said tongs open while empty, when the tongs are lowered upon and raised from loads to release and leave them and to grapple and pick them up.

11. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for closing them when lifted; a swinging hanger suspended from said lifting member, and provided with an engagement member; and a block on one of said grappling members having an engaging recess for said engagement member in its lower edge and,

convergent upper guide surfaces, with guide means below said block. for automatically directing said engagement member to said recess from one side when the tongs are lowered upon a load to grapple it and out of said recess to the other side when the tongs are lowered upon a load to releaseit.

12. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected ,closing them when lifted;

grappling members, with engagement means carried by said tongs; a lifting member with connections to said grapplingmembers for closing them when lifted; a hanger suspended from said lifting member, andprovided with an engagement member for 00-, operating with the aforesaid engagement means to hold the tongs open when empty; with means actuated by lowering the tongs upon a load and raising them therefrom for alternately bringing said engagement member into and. out of engagement with said engagement means, including a deflector for directing said member to one side of said means for engagement therewith shiftable forv return of said member on disengagement from said means at the other side.

13QA device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected and means carried by said tongs affording a guide and engagement channel, With means for automatically passing said member throughsaid channel, to hold the tongs open while empty, including a deflector for directing said member to enter one end of said channel when the tongs are lowered upon a load to release it yieldable to permit return of said member, on exit from the other end of said channel, when the tongs are raised from a load to grapple and pick it up. v

14-. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for a swinging hanger suspended from said lifting member, and provided with an engagement member; a block carried by said tongs having an engagement recess for said engagement member in its lower edge and convergent upper guide surfaces, with guide means below said block for automatically directing said engagement member to said recess from one side when the tongs are lowered upon a load to grapple it and out of said recess to the other side when the tongs are lowered upon a load to release it; and a deflector for directing said engagement member to the first mentioned side of the block apex when the tongs are lowered as aforesaid pivoted to one of the aforementioned parts of the device, and yielding to permit return of said member back to said first mentioned side of the block apex when the tongs are raised after release of the member as aforesaid.

15. A device of the character described comprising tongs formed by interconnected grappling members; a lifting member with connections to said grappling members for closing them when lifted; a swinging hanger suspended from said lifting member, and provided with an engagement member; a block on one of said grappling members having an engaging recess for said engagement member in its lower edge and convergent upper guide surfaces, with guide means below said block for automatically directing said engagement member to said recess from one side when the tongs are lowered upon a load to grapple it and out i of said recess to the other side when the tongs are lowered upon a load to release it; and means for automatically deflecting said hanger and its engagement member back to the first-mentioned side of the block apex when the tongs are raised to grasp a load.

"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 20 signed my name.

WILLIAM M. VENABLE. 

